Walking the Path

Y’all, I’m kind of ridiculously excited about this. So, I play Animal Crossing, a really relaxing life simulator game from Nintendo, and you have the ability to decorate your island with all different kinds of furniture and your clothes with custom designs. So, of course I made a Sacred Nemeton on my game, and myself a robe and stole. Continue reading “Animal Crossing Druid Rite”→

My daughter recently lost her first tooth, and I knew I didn’t want to do the traditional tooth under the pillow thing. We’ve long said in our house that you don’t invite fairies into your home, so trying to figure out how to manage this particular rite of passage without losing the cultural touchstone and the joy was something we had to give some thought.

Initially I had thought about setting up a special little mailbox that she could “mail” her tooth in, and receive money back from the tooth fairy. But then Covid-19 happened and I was left without the ability to acquire the materials and also without the energy to do something that elaborate.

So instead I went back to the drawing board. The main religious thing I cared about was that we weren’t openly inviting fairies into the house. The main parent thing I cared about was that my daughter still got to have a tooth fairy experience to remember and share. So, we needed limited exposure to the tooth fairy. Enough to give my daughter the experience, but not so much that fairies generally would feel welcome. And fairies love bargains, so I wrote up a tooth fairy bargaining charm.

Tooth Fairy come in for only one task.

My tooth has fallen out, so this thing I ask:

In exchange for one tooth some treasure you’ll leave,

Then begone from this place, the bargain achieved.

We put her tooth in a jar and recited the charm, and then wrote it out and put it next to the tooth jar for good measure. Then we set the jar up on a shelf overnight. In the morning my daughter came downstairs to a jar with a coin and some glitter in it, and was overjoyed.

Hi everyone. I’m going to be trying something a little different in order to serve you, my folk, in these times of crisis. We’re physically separated, but in that, we can still seek connection with each other, and find solace in the messages the spirits have for us. To that end I’ll be posting every few days/week or so with some divination read through a different lens each time. My hope is that this will give us a way to feel connected to the spirits, to each other, and an opportunity to take their wisdom and blessings into ourselves.

I’m hoping to get the first episode up in the next day or two, and it’ll be free over on my Patreon (patreon.com/skylark913). After this first one, my Patrons will get access to them a few days early, they’ll all be available for free to everyone after that. (If you’re able, I’d love your support over there).

So, I invite you to join me in this experience of connection, and I hope that you’ll find a new way to connect to the spirits and the divine, and perhaps be inspired to understand life in a new or different way, letting your actions reflect that understanding.

Our grove celebrates the Druid Moons (6th night after the new moon) with a ritual each month. The ones we celebrate are Gaulish, and each one has a different focus and a different working. My favorite of them as a priest is definitely Anagantios (or Stay at Home month). Continue reading “Anagantios 2020”→

One of the things we now have on the ADF website is a listing of the various skills, strengths, and services that each priest can provide. The idea is to provide members a way to connect to a priest who can meet their needs when they require various services, particularly when they don’t have a local group or don’t know any priests personally.

Recently, because we always seem to have at least one or two people who are in need of healing, we added a regular healing working to our monthly Druid Moon rites. Not only does this work directly benefit the folk of our grove, it also gives us the opportunity to flex our magical muscles and learn new magical techniques. Continue reading “Healing Candles & Stones: An Experiment”→

Perseverance is the flame that continues to burn inside yourself when the storm seems the worst. Sometimes it burns bright and strong with no trouble, though this is often only when the winds are calm, and the Theoi are easily heard on the breeze. When times become difficult, and the rain is pounding down, the flame flickers, just barely keeping alight. The sound of the rumbling thunder seems to drown out the Gods, and the lightning blinds you from seeing them in your life. It is then that the flame needs to be tended most, and cared for. And just as it seems as though it may extinguish itself in the whipping wind you remember: The Gods are always present in your life, and will hold you close and keep you tending that small flickering light. After all, even when the storm seems worst, it is still the mighty Zeus.

Ethics

It is important to reflect on our Code of Ethics, and the virtues we try to embody, every so often. ADF’s continuing education used to require it at least once every three years, though that has since changed and it’s no longer required that we revisit it. It is still an extremely valuable practice, and allows to see how we are growing and changing as a person and priest, and helps us to realign and reaffirm the work we are doing. I’ve also seen my work shift and focus since being Consecrated, and having had time to settle into that new(ish) role, now seems like a good time to review where I stand, what I believe, and how those things are expressed in my words and actions. Continue reading “Ethics & Vocation: 2019 Reflection”→

As we grow as pagans, there are many ways our practice and our liturgical language changes over time, and it is important to regularly evaluate and reflect on them. Not only does this allow us to make sure our work still aligns with our values, but it also make sure that it is accurate to our theology and praxis.